Key-fastener



(No Model.)

T. B. ARMSTEAD.

KEY FASTENER. No. 423,107. Patented Mar. 11, 1890.

CO lllll I I I llllllllllllllllllll I w I A lvmvr BY Mm UNITE STATES PATE T OFFICE.

TASWILL B. ARMSTEAD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

KEY-FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 423,107, dated March 11, 1890.

Application filed August 7, 1889- To all-whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, TASWILL B. ARMSTEAD, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented anew and Improved Key-Guard, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a key-guard of simple construction, which can be readily applied to the key for preventing the same from being turned from the outside, and which will also serve for preventing the key from falling out of the door when the latter is unlocked.

The invention consists in the novel features of construction hereinafter fully described, and defined in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view representing my improved key-guard applied to a lock and key, and Fig. 2 is a like view showing the guard detached.

Referring to the parts, the guard consists of a shank A, constructed of spring-metal members a a, that are bulged in the middle, as at a, to approximate the form of an elliptical spring, and formed with the straight ends a to adapt it to be inserted in a key-hole. At the opposite end of the shankAone of its members is extended and bent, as at c, at an angle to the shank approximating a right angle, then returned on itself, as at c,terminating in the jaw b of the spring-clasp B, which spring-clasp is thus disposed in a direction toward the ends on of the shank A, and lies at a right angle thereto in position to embrace the ring d of a key D.

The spring-clasp shown consists of the jaw b, aforesaid, the jaw b acting in conjunction therewith, each being provided with a crossbar 19 having lugs b the pivot-pin 11 that passes through said lugs, pivotally uniting the jaws, and the coiled spring b acting in the usual manner to normally close the jaws.

It will of course be understood that the Serial No. 319,983- (No model.)

spring-clasp may be of any other suitable form.

In use, the key being in the lock and the latter being in the unlocked condition, the key is turned to move the bit thereof away from the keyhole, and the ends a of the shank A are inserted in the key-hole, after which the jaws b b of the clasp are caused to grasp the ring 61 of the key. Thus applied the guard offers an effective resistance to an attempted turning of the key or picking of the look from the outside. It will also serve to maintain the key in the look at all times, preventing its accidental dislodgment. Should it be attempted to force the guard from the look by shoving on it from the outside, the bent meeting ends of the jaws will be pressed against the key-ring, and their tendency to remain closed will thus be increased. Should the guardbe drawn into the look by a pincher or other tool inserted from the outside, the bulge a will bind the shank in the key-hole and resist the eifort to draw it inward, while at the same the hinge portion of the clasp will be brought against the key-ring, relieving the meeting ends of strain, and also binding the key against the lock, casing, or the escutcheon, as the case may be. Any twisting of the guard will not be communicated further than the bulge of the shank, at the worst, and will be effective only on the extreme inner end. The yielding action of the bulged portion of the shank and bent spring portion 0' relieves the clasp of all strain ,and enables the latter to retain its hold on the key when tampered with.

The device, it will be seen,is very effective for its purpose, and may be applied to the lock with great readiness.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A key-guard consisting in a shank hav ing a fiat inner end to enter the bit-slot of a key-hole, and a clasp at its outer end,comprising the lower or fixed member 11, secured to the rear end of the shank and curved for= wardly thereover, and the upper'or movable a for entering a key-hole, and a spring-clasp 1o jaw 12', pivoted to the fixed jaw,the space be- B, disposed in the direction of the ends 03, tween the jaws for grasping the key-bow beone of the jaws b of which clasp is united to ing at right angles to the said fiat end, subsaid shank by abent yielding connection 0 c,

5 stantially as set forth. substantially as described.

2. A key-guard consisting of a shank com- 1 'TASWILL' B. 'ARMSTEAD. posed of spring-metal members a a, that are Witnesses: bulged to approximate the form of an ellip H JAMES DEVLIN, tical spring and formed with the straight ends P. DAVIS. 

